A True Champion: My Edition
by Kali404
Summary: Four years since Red had defeated all eight Gym Leaders, the Elite Four, and both former Champions, Lance and Blue. Four years since Red climbed to the summit of Mt. Silver to train his Pokemon. A lot has changed in those four years. Kanto, Johto, Hoenn, Sinnoh, Unova, and Kalos fight in the largest scale war in Pokemon history.
1. Chapter 1

Snow. Nothing but cold white snow surrounded the landscape. From his perch, all he saw was the blistering cold. The mountain that had been his home for years offered nothing but intense blizzards and painful frostbite. His battered hat was heavy, covered in snow. His brown eyes stared lazily into the empty world.

"Pika?"

Red turned to his right and grinned as Pikachu faced him. The little mouse Pokemon had stayed by his side from the very first Pidgey to Lance's final Dragonite. Pikachu had always been his favorite, ever since Professor Oak brought the two together. Friendship between Pokemon and their trainer is essential to any battler's life, and the bond between the silent teen and his electric mouse was unbreakable. Countless battles, unending roads, growing memories. Red was a part of Pikachu as much as Pikachu was a part of him. Stubborn, persistent, unchanging. The pair respected each other's tenacity and grew because of it.

Looking past his starter, he spotted his Charizard diligently guarding their rear. Years of experience had hardened this creature; its bright and hot blue flamed tail was a testament to the harsh training he underwent. Yet despite his ferocious appearance, he was Red's most loyal and caring team member, next to Pikachu. Red sometimes remembers the small and cheerful Charmander that he found near Bill's house, swelling in pride as one of his oldest friends transformed into the ferocious powerhouse he has become.

Not far from Charizard lay Blastoise, hidden within his shell, most likely sleeping. The turtle Pokemon should've died from the frigid temperatures, but despite Red's most caring glares, Blastoise trudged on with his trainer, never leaving his side for even a moment, just as he was as a Squirtle. Its unlimited water supply was a godsend for the team. Each sip of water, a reminder to Red and his Pokemon of how lucky they are to have Blastoise by their side.

Sleeping on Blastoise's shell lay Snorlax. This mountain had once blocked the route from Celadon to Cycling Road, being a nuisance to the town's folk, and slowly sabotaging their economy. At least until Red came along with his Poke Flute. After hours of grueling battle, Red finally caught the fat normal type Pokemon, and that painful experience was more than enough to convince Red that Snorlax was an excellent addition to his team. In the years he's been traveling with Red, he grew past his lax nature and is battle ready at a moment's notice; Snorlax eagerly awaiting the next opportunity to prove his strength.

His last Pokemon was down in the relative safety of the cavern. Blastoise created an artificial lake, and Venusaur was likely bathing at the moment. He took living in Mt. Silver the hardest as the climate and geography was extremely dangerous for his kind. Yet like all ailments, he had grown used to it. Venusaur had come a long way from being a grumpy little Bulbasaur. He was a loud and troublesome little creature, yet Red saw potential for greatness in the Pokemon, and went through great lengths to hone Bulbasaur's edge into a powerful Venusaur. Venusaur, now a more mature creature, spends his time meditating with Red under the starry sky in the deathly cold, basking in the timelessness of their company.

His last ... Pokemon ... Red frowned at the thought. Pikachu picked up on his trainer's mood and jumped onto his shoulder. He knew what Red was thinking about, his late Espeon. Eevee had been a gift from Blue back when Red was still traveling Kanto. He was a rambunctious Pokemon, and Red grew to care for him just like the rest of his team. Eevee evolved into an Espeon a mere day before Red made his trek into Mt. Silver. But Espeon never reached the top. The wild Pokemon were relentless in their attacks. Red's team blasted through, desperately fending off the powerful creatures within. Onixs, Gravelers, Golems, Golbats. More and more feral monsters tore away at Red's defenses. Each of his friends desperately fighting for their lives, all praying Red could find an opening ... including himself. Backed into a corner, Espeon, against Red's orders, threw out his Last Resort, clearing a way for his friends to escape, and draining every last ounce of energy in his tiny frame in the process. Red grabbed Espeon and raced to the top of Mt. Silver with his allies, desperately hoping that there was something at the top to heal the brave Pokemon. Red kneeled at the top of the Mt. Silver, searching through his bag, desperately hoping that a stray Potion or Escape Rope would be there. Charizard couldn't fly, the exit was too far away, nothing could be done. Hope drained away, all he could do was watch. Watch his friend die slowly and painfully. Each member of the team roared in mourning for the loss of their little brother.

Red stared at the snow, Pikachu sharing the pain. Red had been furious, outraged. Months turned into years as Red thought of more ways that he could have saved Espeon. Before the attack, during the attack, even after it. Yet the years showed Red that anger meant nothing. That anger and desperation led to Espeon passing in the first place. Now, he knew better. There was only one way to stop this from ever happening to anyone he cared about again. They had to get stronger.

In the four years that followed, Red trained his team fiercely and tactfully. He came to Mt. Silver to find a true challenge. Despite Lance giving his team a fair run, no Dragonite could hope to keep up with Pikachu's nightmarish speed and deadly Thunders. Blue had been even stronger, yet he too fell before Venusaur's mighty Solar Beam. Blue was the last to see Red before his long disappearance. A simple nod to Blue conveyed only a single message. Acknowledgement. To this day, he is still unsure of what Red was acknowledging to him.

All these memories ... he could never forget his Mom. It had been so long since he had seen her, around five or six years. The last time he had seen her, he was at the Johto League Champion. Even that visit was short and painful. And that was one of his last contacts with civilization before training on top Mt. Silver. Not a single person dared challenge him. Few even dared challenge Mt. Silver. Yet now, Red found even the fabled Mt. Silver nothing more than mild entertainment.

Red couldn't stand it any longer. Stagnation was the worst of all fates for a Pokemon trainer, and Red needed to discover something new. Perhaps the four years changed not just him but also the world. New gyms, new leaders, new champions. There had been rumors about new regions in the past, perhaps those rumors proved true. This couldn't be it for him, there had to be more.

Red stood, slowly as to not jolt Pikachu and motioned for his team to follow. Charizard perked at the sound of crunching snow and roared to wake up Blastoise and Snorlax. Venusaur walked out of the cavern, curious to know what all this fuss was about.

There the grave stood. Red lowered his hat as memories flooded his mind once more. He knelt down, careful not to crush the beautiful white snow under his feet. Looking back, he motioned for Charizard to come up as he placed his finger on the stalactite. Charizard watched carefully, memorizing the lines and curves Red's finger made on the hard stone. When Red finished, Charizard dug his sharp claw into the rock, mimicking Red's motions. Once done, Charizard backpedaled besides his teammates. Red stood in front of the grave. Mourning, one last time.

Let it go

It was hard, but this place held no more opportunities for him nor his team.

A violent gust of wind blew past him, and he immediately grabbed his red cap, making sure it didn't fly off. As he did, he felt its material, wasting away and falling apart. He stared at his hat, confused. This was the last gift his mother had given him, and he cherished the gift every second since he got it. But now, it felt wrong.

Glancing at the grave, he made up his mind. Stabbing the cap into the stalactite, it fit perfectly. It's marred red color and small holes matched the broken look fo the rock. Red felt the wind blowing through his hair. Now, it felt right.

Red let out a silent sigh as he finally started to move. He went back into the cavern that had been his home for four years and grabbed his pack. It too was worn from years of use, but it didn't matter. Red figured he would get a new one once he was down. Grabbing his Pokeballs from his belt, he recalled Snorlax, Blastoise, and Venusaur. Charizard growled in confusion. They hadn't returned to their Pokeballs in years, why now?

Red walked outside again, past the fire-breathing dragon and ignoring his question. Even Pikachu wasn't sure what to make of Red's actions. Red trudged towards the edge of the summit, Charizard following close behind, Pikachu still on his shoulder. He reached into his pack to find his old Town Map. Luckily, it had survived these harsh conditions and was mostly intact, albeit somewhat illegible. He motioned for Charizard to look at the map, and he pointed to Pallet Town.

Charizard roared in excitement and let out a huge torrent of bright blue flames from the depths of his stomach all the way up into the sky. Red grinned as the fun little Charmander in Charizard surfaced, even for a brief moment. Charizard bent down and Red jumped on his back with Pikachu smiling gleefully, eager to return to their hometown. And like a jet, Charizard dove downwards towards the top of Victory Road.

* * *

 **Hope you enjoyed this fan-fiction. This is actually based off of another fan-fiction titled "A True Champion" By: Shadowyman. While I enjoyed the story that they had written, they stopped writing after only a few chapters. I decided that I wanted to continue the story, but with my own vision on how the story should progress. in other words, while this is inspired by "A True Champion," please don't expect this story to be anything like what Shadowyman had written. The first chapter is very similar since I used their first chapter as a guide, but the second chapter already heavily deviates from the original story, and the following chapters will deviate more.  
**

 **I would also like to note that this is my first time writing a fan-fiction, and I need as much advice and critiques as humanly possible. Comment what you truly think of the story. How cringy it is, how the grammar isn't up to par, any spelling errors, poor use of diction, sentence structure, etc. I would also appreciate any positives you may find in the story, but it's all up to you.**

 **This series is also meant to be a more realistic portrayal of how Pokemon battles and their society would function. However, I'm heavily limited by my own stupidity, and would appreciate critiques on political, psychological, or logical errors that I make in this chapter and upcoming chapters.**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Hero's Home

Flying on the back of Charizard was nothing new, but it felt so alien after such a long time on the mountain. Looking down at Pallet Town once again flooded Red with memories. When he first learned how to ride his bike. When he and Blue played tag well before their adventures as Pokemon Trainers. Pikachu bounded to the top of Charizard's head, looking down on his own home town. The moon had risen since they left Mt. Silver, yet the town was still awake. Lights were on in homes as the quiet buzz of life reminded Red of just how long he's been away.

Red placed his hand on Charizard's back and tapped twice. He looked up at Red expectantly; Red points towards the edge of Pallet Town and the forest; just in front of the laboratory.

As Red jumps down from Charizard's back, he sees the town undisturbed by his presence. He pulls out Charizard's Pokeball and quietly returns the mighty dragon. Red takes a step towards his old town. Some things never change. His standard white and red house still neighbored Blue's identical house, standing just before Oak's glowing laboratory.

Strange, Oak's laboratory seemed unusually loud. As Red gets closer to the town, the noise from Oak's building seemed to be growing and growing. Red strides more confidently towards the building, aware that his footsteps must be well masked.

Opening the door was a mistake. Inside seemed to lay a full blown factory. Scientists in coats were bustling around, talking amongst each other about different Pokemon theories and experiments. Pokemon were littered throughout the place. Alakazam's psychic powers were being examined with a strange device. Bundles of Raichus were huddled together and producing mass quantities of electricity powering an even stranger machine. Hitmonchans were off in another corner being prodded and probed by other scientists in lab coats. Red staggered back, almost tripping over his own two feet. Years of isolation, and now this. It was a bit much.

No one seemed to pay any attention to the new comer that walked in, putting into question this lab's concern on safety. Red meandered around, managing to go by unnoticed by the hustle and bustle of the lab.

He eventually came across a massive room. Within it held a habitat that stretched for acres; Red could barely see the walls on the other side of the building. Red looked down at Pikachu and snapped his fingers. Pikachu's ears perked up and waited for Red's next command. He made a circle with his finger then made a fist on his chest. Recon, interest point signaled by change in electrical field. Pikachu disappeared instantaneously despite the vast savannah that laid before them.

Red wouldn't ever be caught unprepared again. Pikachu learned that by spreading out the force of his Thunderwave, it can change the overall electric field of the environment. Most Pokemon and humans can't feel the change in this environment, but Red doesn't need to. The change in electric field was enough to cause rarefaction, tugging on his arm hairs ever so slightly towards the northeast side of the room.

"Ruby, for the last time, no more using Blizzard in your little brother's room," Oak chided the little rat in front of him. Oak turned to his assistant next to him, complaining "Honestly, Raticate being able to use Blizzard must be some sort of universal error. His cheeks shouldn't have the capacity to cause ice build up of that level. And no one has any idea where the ice comes from! All of the sensors we tried to use broke halfway through the test. Pretty soon I'm just gonna stick my head into his mouth ..."

Oak's rant continues as Red slowly approaches the professor. Red snaps his fingers, calling out to Pikachu wherever he may be. Pikachu appears by Red's side, climbing on top of his shoulder, all without Oak noticing. He rambles on for about another minute. Red waits. Oak rants. Red waits.

"There are some Pokemon powerful enough to freeze the opponent solid! Solid! The atmosphere around the Pokemon actually becomes a solid! Yet the path of the "blizzard" doesn't freeze at all! The laws of thermodynamics were fundamentally ..."

And he stopped. He saw the young man standing to the side with a Pikachu on his shoulder, waiting.

"Max, can you give us a moment alone please?"

"Who is that Professor Oak?" Despite himself, Max was feeling slightly intimidated by the imposing figure. The stranger's jacket may have been red at one point, but now looked more like a worn out pink. His eyes were uninterested, yet seemed to be alert; his eyes darted randomly at random intervals, tracking the noises around the room. His Pikachu seemed even more unnerving, the yellow of it's skin was much darker than normal, the tail's edges much sharper, and the Pokemon's red cheeks were nearly double the size of an average Pikachu.

"No one of great importance. Just an old friend."

Max walked off towards a group of Pidgeottos, leaving Red and Oak alone. Neither was entirely sure what to say. Both had changed remarkably since their last encounter with each other. Both had seen things the other couldn't possibly imagine. Both had lost.

"Have you visited your mother yet?"

He didn't want to ... not yet. What would his mother think? Would she even want to see him after abandoning her? One man already left her at the drop of a hat, losing another couldn't have been easy for her. Red shook his head.

"I see ..." Oak's frown deepened; Red could see the disappointment in the professor's eyes. "Red, you need to go see her. Now. After what we've been through, she needs some good news." Red wasn't sure what he meant, but it was clear Oak wasn't going to let Red go anywhere else. Reluctantly, Red followed Oak out of the habitat.

The front door loomed in front of Red, the pressure on his chest grew as he quickly scrambled to think of anything to say. An apology, a breakdown, anything. He kept drawing a blank, unsure of what to say, as Oak patiently waited behind Red. Red mentally kicked himself; hesitation gets you killed in the real world; this isn't any different.

Red reached out and knocked on the door. Silence. Maybe she isn't home? But where would she be at this hour? Maybe she moved? But why did Oak bring him here? The door swings open, and before him stood his mother, glaring at whoever was at her front door.

He hadn't seen her in four years, yet she looks 30 years older now. Her once light brown hair now looks entirely gray and horribly kept. Her skin, once bright and glowing, seems sickly and pale. And her eyebags looked the size of craters, as if she hadn't been able to sleep in years. Between the two, Red's mother seemed to have been the one training on a snow covered mountain.

"Red"

And a single year was taken off her face. Her eyes shined just a little brighter, her face relaxed just a small amount, and she smiled a half decent smile. And she collapsed into her son's arms. He was alive. He was here. He was doing better than she was. Nothing could have ruined this moment for her.  



	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: A Son's Welcome

Red, his mother, and Oak sat around the dinner table in complete silence. Pikachu sat on the ground, staring at the hardwood floor. Red could feel his heart pounding inside his chest. The sheer weight of the situation wrapped around his ribcage like an Arbok; the world had changed after he left.

Kanto Johto Hoenn Sinnoh Unova Kalos

A war broke out between them. Countless lives were lost. Pokemon. People. Citizens. Gym Leaders. Elite Four members. Even Champions.

Gym Leader: Defenders of their town Elite Four: Group of trainers capable of acting as an army on their own Champion: Stronger than even the Elite Four and the leader of the region

No one was safe. Everyone is dying. This needs to stop. This needs to end.

Red stood up from his seat, Pikachu racing out from underneath the table. He made his way towards the front door before his mother jumped out of her seat. The weight of her body shook the entire house as she slammed her back against the door.

"You are not leaving this house," her voice oozed with venom. Despite the height difference, her glare was intimidating; her aura resembled a starving wolf backed into a corner. "You might think you're strong, but so did Lance. So did Koga. So did ... so did ..."

"So did Blue. It's ok Julie, so did Blue," Oak spoke while still at the table; his eyes fixated on a random spot on the wall. "Two of our strongest Champions were killed in less than a year. They're strong Red, don't underestimate them."

Red reached into his pocket and pulled out a silver case, covered in dents and scratches. Held within it are the badges that Red collected on his journey. Thirteen badges laid within the case. Eight from gym leaders. Four from the Elite Four. One from the champion. He was the strongest. Not Blue. Not Lance. Red.

"How dare you," her voice trembled with rage. Tears welled up in her eyes as she clenched her fists tighter. "How dare you flaunt your badges as if they mean anything. We aren't playing around anymore, this is war. Do you have any idea what we've been through? Do you?! Pewter was nearly burnt to the ground. Vermillion nearly drowned in a tsunami. Steven ... he's a monster."

Red's mother stared at the ground; the silence once again taking over the three. His mom and Oak were right. The world had changed. Things were different now. But that didn't change who he was. He was the closest thing to a champion they had now. It was his job to save Kanto.

Red placed the case back into his pocket. He took another step towards his mother, and he saw that, for a moment, she winced; however, her eyes steeled with resolve once more.

"Fine."

Red's mother reached to her back and pulled out a pokeball. Red took a step back; he had never seen his mother battle before. He pulled out his own pokeball just in case Pikachu would be at a disadvantage. She dropped her pokeball, and in a burst of white light, an Alakazam appeared before them. Her eyes fell onto the trainer in front of her before looking at the Pikachu behind him. Her grip on her spoons tightened; this wasn't going to be an easy battle.

"Alakazam, teleport, outside," Red's mother commands. Immediately they are teleported to the center of town, a clearing just large enough for the two to battle. Red's eyes surveys the environment and several thoughts flash through his mind.

Many people. Minimize damage. Pikachu, high control. Lightning equals flash. Too much attention. Venusaur. Avoid solar beam. Avoid earthquakes.

Red switched the pokeball in his hand from Charizard to Venusaur and released the juggernaut of a plant. Scars riddled the Pokemon's body, his hide thick enough to stop even the most powerful of icicles from making a dent in his body. The tree on his back grew much larger than other Pokemon of his kind, and the leaves are much fuller. A majestic sight to behold. The Alakazam's grip on her spoon provided almost enough force to bend the metal.

Red stares at his opponent, unsure of what her battle style may be. An Alakazam. Good speed. Better psychic. Terrible defense. Close combat best. Mind altercations, best approach.

"Poison powder"

Venusaur's tree bursts with a toxic pollen; the air suddenly filled with the noxious hazzard. Slowly, the pollen floats to the ground. Against most Pokemon, avoiding the ground would serve them best as each step would bring agony to them. Of course, the opponent had different ideas.

"Alakazam, Telekinesis on the pollen. Disperse it!"

Alakazam used her psychic abilities and kept all of the poison in the air, ready to send it flying all different directions. Until Venusaur's body slammed right into Alakazam.

"Opening," Red had said in all the time that it took his opponent to make her command.

The force of Venusaur's Body Slam should have been enough to decimate the poor psychic Pokemon. But her body evaporated into thin air. Red's eyes immediately tracked movement in the sky, and there was Alakazam. Instead of dispersing the poison, she was creating a dense mass, and then launches the ball at Venusaur.

Telepathy? Rumors of it. Regardless. Projectile. Poison. Safe. Force. 50mph? Safe. Dark. Vision obstruction, advantage.

"Razor leaf, vision"

Before Alakazam's ball could reach Venusaur, her vision was obstructed as hundreds, if not thousands, of leaves erupted from the plant on her opponent's back. They made a deafening screech through the air as they rocket towards her position.

Teleport now! Alakazam's mind erupts with the words of her trainer. Alakazam teleports to a position where neither Red nor Venusaur could easily spot. Here she could catch her breath.

What should I do now, Julie? His attacks are deadly. One wrong move and I would be out of commission.

Don't worry Ally. He's still a lot slowe-

Her words were cut off as Venusaur's vines suddenly wrapped around Alakazam's waist. Her stomach sank as the vines dragged her through the air; the wind whistling in her ears. The aftermath was terrible. Her body was slammed into the ground, pain shooting all throughout her body. Unfortunately, the Telekinesis was still trying to pull her body up. She floated up once more, and Venusaur's vines once again slammed her into the ground; this time with even more force. Alakazam could feel every bone in her body crack in unison, searing pain being her only thought before darkness overtook her vision.


End file.
